-Kirsten Vangsness, one of the stars of Criminal Minds, is thrilled that viewers love the show. But she, quite frankly, can't watch it.The story lines involving FBI profilers and the twisted criminals they chase down are too disturbing for her sensibilities, the gruesome visuals too unsettling."It's just not my cup of tea," says Vangsness, who plays quirky technical analyst Penelope Garcia. "But I think it's fantastic that there are a lot of lovely people devoted to this genre of storytelling, because I love having this job."Make that two jobs; Vangsness also co-stars in the Criminal Minds spinoff, Suspect Behavior, which premieres at 9 p.m. Wednesday.It's not unprecedented for an actor to work in two or more TV series at the same time, but it is exceptionally rare for an actor to play the same character on two shows simultaneously.How did Vangsness, whose new Suspect Behavior colleagues include Forest Whitaker and Janeane Garofalo, get so lucky?"My fellow cast member, Paget Brewster [who plays Emily Prentiss of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit], had a lot to do with it," Vangsness says. "We did what they call a 'planted' episode, which was basically the episode of Criminal Minds where we introduced the team of Suspect Behavior. I was in only two little, tiny scenes, because I think they intended to hire a different computer person."So we were doing the table read and Paget kept saying, 'Why don't they have you on both?' We're all very close on Criminal Minds. I think that's why people love the characters. Because they sense a connection that is very real. And Paget kept asking people, 'Why can't Kirsten do both shows?'"Then, all of a sudden, the powers-that-be started talking about it, too. But I wasn't sure if it was going to happen until we all went to an event announcing Criminal Minds to return and Suspect Behavior to launch. That's when Forest Whitaker walked up to me and said, 'I can't wait to work with you.'"For Vangsness, it's an embarrassment of riches."Especially if you consider that I couldn't get an acting job that paid me money before Criminal Minds," she says. "The fact that now I'm on two television shows is surprising and wonderful."Flamboyantly dressed and wisecracking Penelope is a computer wizard and an indispensable BAU member. But her biggest contribution to the show might be how she lightens scenes that get especially dark."Penelope is the one who gives the audience a breather," Vangsness says. "She is the one who is going to be mortified and completely grossed out. She gives the audience permission to feel what they're feeling. I'm so happy that I get to be that person, and I do intentionally try to provide that."She has her work cut out for her in the first two episodes of Suspect Behavior. In the premiere, the team led by Whitaker's Sam Cooper investigates the abduction of an 8-year-old girl. Week 2 introduces a killer who gouged out her victim's eyes."When we sit at table reads, sometimes, believe it or not, the scripts are more graphic than what you see on television," Vangsness says. "I sometimes have to plug my ears."That said, she doesn't let the material affect her upbeat take on life."I would make myself crazy if I walked around freaked out about it," Vangsness says. "I choose to believe that most people are inherently good. I'm pretty Pollyanna, but whatever. If I'm wrong, well, I'm happy to keep living in my pretend land."

Criminal Minds: Thomas Gibson from Dharma & Greg and Criminal Minds tells Wendy Williams about his first kiss. Share your romantic stories for a chance to get a year supply of NIVEA products at http://www.wendyshow.com/nivea.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

"Lauren" - Prentiss is ready to confront her nemesis, Ian Doyle, once and for all. Meanwhile, the BAU calls upon JJ to help them find Prentiss and capture Doyle before it's too late, on CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, March 16 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Series star Matthew Gray Gubler directs the episode. A.J. Cook returns as Jennifer "JJ" Jareau.

Criminal Minds: "Safe Haven" - The BAU team is on the trail of a serial killer targeting families throughout the Midwest. Meanwhile, Morgan is concerned when Ellie runs away from her foster family and pays him a visit, on a rebroadcast of CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, March 9 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Emmy Award winner Mare Winningham ("Hill Street Blues") guest stars as Nancy Riverton, a mother who takes the possible suspect into her home, and Isabella Murad returns as Ellie Spicer, Detective Spicer's daughter. (Originally broadcast 10/20/10)

Criminal Minds: Actors Kirsten Vangsness and Sam Pancake attend the Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences Presents "Producing For The Web: Pretty" at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on February 7, 2011 in North Hollywood, California.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Criminal Minds executive producer/ showrunner Simon Mirren is leaving the veteran crime drama. Mirren, who joined the series right after the pilot as a supervising producer, was promoted to executive producer at the beginning of Season 5.

This past October, Mirren, along with fellow Criminal Minds veteran, exec producer Erica Messer, took over showrunner duties alongside longtime exec producer/showrunner Ed Bernero when Chris Mundy left as showrunner of the Criminal Minds spinoff and Bernero shifted his attention to the new series. There is talk that Bernero may also leave Criminal Minds at the end of the season. He has a drama pilot, Partners, in contention at ABC but even if his pilot goes to series, he is expected to still have some involvement with the Criminal Minds franchise.

Staying on is Messer, considered a rising star on Criminal Minds. She joined the mothership series after the pilot as a co-producer and became an executive producer at the beginning of the current sixth season. British writer Mirren, nephew of actress Helen Mirren, previously worked on Third Watch, co-created/exec producer by Bernero, and Without a Trace.

Today I Do" - The BAU is called to upstate New York to investigate mysterious disappearances. Also, Prentiss gets some disturbing news about one of her former Interpol colleagues, on CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, Feb. 16 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Guest stars include Rachel Miner as a missing person, Molly; Corbin Bernsen as Molly's father, Jerry; and Joshua Leonard as Molly's boyfriend, Lyle.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Criminal Minds Press Release: "Valhalla" - After a series of suspicious murders occur, Prentiss suspects her old Interpol nemesis, making her fear for the safety of her BAU team as he closes in on her, on CRIMINAL MINDS, Wednesday, March 2 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Sebastian Roché ("General Hospital," "Fringe") returns as Clyde Easter, Prentiss' former Interpol colleague.

Criminal Minds Baby: Congrats to Amanda, Jason and Miles Koiter as well as the entire Bernero family on the birth of Lennon Wyatt on Thursday, February 10th. Lennon weighed in at 9lbs and is 22in long.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Criminal Minds- From Deadline Hollywood - Will Paget Brewster be back on Criminal Minds next season? CBS certainly hopes so, I hear the network recently gave her an offer to return to the crime drama as a full-fledged regular next season. But as part of her modified deal for this season, in which she was asked to scale back her duties as a regular on the show (though she ended up being in every episode so far), Brewster was allowed to do a pilot for next fall, and she is using the opportunity. Brewster has already been approached for 3 Fox comedy pilots. She has comedy history at the network, having co-starred in the underrated Andy Richter Controls the Universe and done voice-over work on American Dad. Brewster is free to do pilots at any network/studio, but because CBS and ABC Studios, which produces Criminal Minds with CBS TV Studios, want her back on the show, I hear CBS, ABC and their studios will be refraining from offering her pilots to not compete with Criminal Minds for her services. "We'd hope that she would stay, she has the option to do so,"CBS' entertainment president Nina Tassler said at TCA last month.

Because of her situation, I hear Brewster's storyline on Criminal Minds this season will end with a cliffhanger that will allow the producers to bring her back or write her off if needed.

Brewster is not the only Criminal Minds cast member whose return to the show next season is uncertain at the moment. The deals for stars Thomas Gibson and Shemar Moore are up at the end of this season and I hear the two are nowhere near new pacts. Matthew Gray Gubler and Joe Mantegna have another year on their contracts, though I hear Gubler has been seeking a salary bump. Kristen Vangsness got a new deal in the summer as she also co-stars on the Criminal Minds spinoff.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Criminal Minds: Each week, fans of Criminal Minds can tune in to CBS 2 in Queens at 9PM for an all-new episode to watch the BAU track down the week’s unsub and hopefully rescue a victim in time. Because the case is different each week, the show brings in a number of guest stars, some more recognizable than others. The latest guest star is known to fans of the CW drama, Supernatural, for playing Ash and though his character died in season 2, he made an appearance in season 5 when Sam and Dean died and went to heaven.

Just this week, Chad Lindberg guest starred on the NBC drama, The Cape, as Hicks, adversary to the main character and hired by Fleming. He played the part well, and there’s no doubt that he’ll do a good job on Criminal Minds as well. The news of his guest spot on the drama came via his Twitter and he certainly seems happy about it: “Good News Flash: I just booked a Guest Star on ‘Criminal Minds’ ;)”So what character will he be playing? That has yet to be revealed, and his episode won’t be airing until later in the season. He wouldn’t be a bad choice for playing the unsub of the week—he’d certainly be believable in the role. He was the bad guy on The Cape, and he was in the film, I Spit on Your Grave.

Lindberg isn't the first person from Supernatural to guest star on the CBS procedural drama. Jim Beaver, who plays Bobby Singer, guest starred in the season 3 episode, "Identity" as a sheriff. Sebastian Roche, who plays the angel Balthazar, will be guest starring on Criminal Minds later this season, and his story line is said to be connected to Emily Prentiss'. Roche has been tweeting pictures from the set lately.Tune in to CBS 2 in Queens at 9PM Wednesday nights to keep a look out for Chad Lindberg’s guest spot on Criminal Minds.

Criminal Minds: CBS ratings report - Criminal Minds was first in households (8.7/13) and viewers (14.32m); it was second in adults 25-54 (4.8/11) and adults 18-49 (3.7/10). This was Criminal Minds’s best delivery in adults 25-54 since Dec. 8, 2010, and its best viewer and adults 18-49 performances since Nov. 17, 2010.

When "Criminal Minds" made cuts at the end of last season -- eliminating A.J. Cook's role and cutting back on the number of episodes for Paget Brewster -- Kirsten Vangsness was the one women left unscathed. In fact, her unique style and computer skill as Penelope Garcia has multiplied. Now, ETonline talks to the out-and-proud actress, who will be seen on both the original series, airing tonight, and the spin-off, "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior," premiering Feb. 16 on CBS.

ETonline: Is it hard for you to have two "Criminal Minds" shows and some of your former castmates don't even have one?

Kirsten Vangsness: That part sucks. There is nothing else you can say about it. They are completely separate things. I love my job. I love this character, so any opportunity I have to do that is awesome, but that part sucks. It won't suck for them. A.J. is going to rise like a Phoenix and I hope she invites me to the Emmys when she wins one.

ETonline: This was a big year for you on "Criminal Minds" because your character went through a lot of changes. Was it like a roller coaster?

Kirsten Vangsness: It was a little bit. I am such a pacifist. I am not a fighter. I try to be assertive. Sometimes they decide they want to instill a change. They will be, "She has been doing this for six years, she shouldn't be squeamish around these pictures." I say, "She will be squeamish for the rest of her life because that is just how she is."

ETonline: Your character seems a little bit different in "Suspect Behavior" than it does in the original "Criminal Minds." In the original, you are flirty with Shemar Moore. Are you going to be flirty in the new show?

Kirsten Vangsness: I think it would be weird, and I think that the writers thought so, too, and told me it would be weird to have Garcia come in and start working with these new people and all of a sudden be familiar, like "Hey, babycakes." So I have to kind of be like how the audience would be where you are sort of the new third-grader, or they are the new third-grader, or someone is the new third-grader and feeling it out. So, she's not going to be all out. I think, actually, she can't help but to kind of say things that she doesn't mean to. But I think she's a little more formal, a little more just-the-facts-ma'am kind of a thing.

Kirsten Vangsness: I personally think that we dress completely different. You might disagree. I think that we do. I think we both let our freak flags fly. I like dressing how I like to dress, and I look like a little art statement. And I think she likes to dress like that, but I think she makes her own art statement. Garcia has a glam squad that definitely does that. I think what they borrowed from is: "Oh, she can pull this off because in real life, she dresses like a 7-year-old pirate from space."

ETonline: Was going from blonde to red to blonde your decision or theirs?

Kirsten Vangsness: That was me. I colored it red; then I got bored with the red. I remembered, I like [blonde] and I went back to the blonde. It is just what she does. I think that is what makes her a superhero. Unlike Kirsten, when Penelope dyes her hair, it doesn't go through extensive damage and breakage. Penelope has a team that makes it look great.

ETonline: Aren't you proof that the Newsweek article that said gay actors can have trouble being cast as straight characters convincingly is wrong? To be on both of these shows as a straight woman flirting with guys seems to prove that you can do that.

Kirsten Vangsness: I understand being up in arms about that article. But it was so bizarre to me and so not true, it wasn't something to get upset about. I am the only character on "Criminal Minds" you have seen having sex. You see her coming out of a shower with a guy. I enjoy all of that. I am as queer as a purple unicorn singing Madonna. I think you can be all of that. You wouldn't do that with a straight woman playing a gay character. Ninety percent of the women on "The L Word" were straight. No one was going around, "This is unbelievable." I can look at lots of men and go, "I want to go to there." That is totally normal for me. I think it is really silly.

ETonline: In the episode in which you were shot, did they tell you ahead you were going to survive?

Kirsten Vangsness: You don't know. They could turn around tomorrow and be like, "We have a much better girl now. We want this person." So when they said that, but said, "You are going to be fine," I was, "Oh, okay." Then I really was fine. That was dreamy. I have an episode named after the character.

ETonline: I was watching and going, where is her scar supposed to be?

Kirsten Vangsness: That was one of the things. They shot me in the heart and then they went through this whole thing with the makeup department, saying, "You know, if you shoot her through the heart, we will have to explain and crack open her breast bone to get it out. So every day when she goes into work, if you are going to continue showing off the girls, you are going to have to put a scar here." So that is why when they do the whole thing and I am in peril, they put in this thing where they say, "It didn't go through the heart. It actually went through her back." Then when they did the follow-up, they were, "Can you clutch your back, never [your heart]?"